Perillo receives GOP nomination for State Rep.

State Representative Jason Perillo (R-113) was nominated last week by the Shelton Republican Town Committee to be their party’s candidate for State Representative. Perillo, who was formerly the volunteer Chief of Shelton’s Echo Hose Ambulance, is seeking re-election to the position. He was first elected in 2007.

Perillo was nominated by former state Senator Dan Debicella, who had high praise. “Jason has done a fantastic job in Hartford for Shelton. He listens to our residents and represents them well.”

Perillo indicated that the state budget and economy are central issues.

“We’ve got to do things differently when it comes to our economy. Economic ecosystems are important for a state like Connecticut where 90 percent of people work in small and medium-sized businesses that must innovate to grow. This, in turn, fuels investments in other sectors of the economy and provides important grand list growth for towns and cities.”

Perillo pointed out that ecosystems – like Dallas in entrepreneurship or Bostin in digital health – take time to create. “But thoughtful government planning can pave the way for strategic private investment. We can turn our current economic death spiral into an economy that builds upon itself and grows,” Perillo said. “But government spending for the sake of growing government without any planned return on that investment is a failure. That’s what Dan Malloy has done and it obviously doesn’t work.”

Perillo stated that he wanted to build on past successes on behalf of Shelton noting that planning has begun on much-needed improvements to the Derby-Shelton Bridge, funding for which he and Derby State Rep. Themis Klarides secured.

Perillo also cited working across party lines as a reason behind his legislative achievements. “I have worked very well with the other party to drive legislation that will strengthen Shelton’s fire department, help Shelton’s farms, and ensure that criminals of violent crimes do not receive early release.” In 2017, at the request of local farmers, Perillo worked with Democrats to pass legislation to permit farm-based distilleries in the state.

Perillo has won reelection handily in past years. He took 73 percent of the vote in the 2016 general election after garnering 91 percent of the vote against primary challenger and Planning and Zoning Chairman, Ruth Parkins. Parkins was not re-elected to the Commission this past November largely due to her support of the Shelter Ridge development on Bridgeport Avenue.

Perillo, 40, manages communications and public relations for a large healthcare non-profit. He holds a Master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University. He also earned a Master’s degree in business from Boston College and received a Bachelor’s degree in accounting from Georgetown University.

In the legislature, Perillo serves on the Finance Committee and the Public Health Committee. He also serves on the Executive and Legislative Nominations Committee, which confirms the Governor’s cabinet appointments and is reserved for senior legislators.

Perillo is a lifelong Shelton resident and lives with his wife, Becky, and their four-year-old daughter, Lydia. They reside in the home where his grandfather, former Shelton Mayor Vincent P. Tisi, Jr., grew up.